What Is Going On
Cook out, Ternus in at Apple. Big news from Cupertino! Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's CEO, a role he's held since 2011, to become executive chairman. Enter John Ternus, Apple's Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, who will take the reins on September 1. This marks the end of Cook's transformative era, where he turned Apple into a $4 trillion behemoth with booming services and wearables sectors. Cook's journey from supply chain guru to the helm of Apple wasn't a given, but he navigated through the shadows of Steve Jobs with integrity and vision, leaving a legacy of unprecedented growth. Meanwhile, Ternus, who joined Apple in 2001, has been instrumental in much of its product magic. As he steps up, the tech world is watching to see how he shapes Apple's future. More here.
Apple's hardware hero. Johny Srouji is now Apple’s chief hardware officer. Effective immediately, Srouji steps up from his role as senior VP of Hardware Technologies to lead both Hardware Engineering and the hardware technologies organization. Apple CEO Tim Cook is all praises, saying, “Johny is one of the most talented people I have ever had the privilege to work with.” Incoming CEO John Ternus also chimed in, looking forward to their new roles together. Srouji has been a game-changer for Apple, leading breakthroughs in custom chips and hardware tech like Apple silicon. He joined Apple in 2008 to spearhead the A4 chip and has built a powerhouse team focusing on everything from batteries to cellular modems. His journey before Apple includes gigs at Intel and IBM, and he’s a proud Technion grad with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Computer Science. More here.
Texas-sized data dreams. DataBank is rolling the dice on the AI data center boom with a hefty $2 billion financing round. The Dallas-based developer is betting big on bringing these tech hubs closer to urban areas. Why? To meet the growing demand for low-latency services from AI and machine learning applications. It's a bold move, considering the current landscape where data centers often sit on the outskirts of cities. But DataBank's confident that their city-centric approach could be a game-changer for tech infrastructure. As AI continues to weave its way into everyday life, having data centers nearby could mean faster, smoother experiences for users. So, if you're in Dallas, expect to see more tech popping up in your neighborhood soon. More here.
AI Corner
Amazon's AI mega investment. Amazon is doubling down on its AI game, planning to invest up to $25 billion in Anthropic, adding to the $8 billion already spent on the AI startup. This move is all about beefing up AI infrastructure, and Anthropic's side of the deal is just as hefty. They're set to spend over $100 billion on Amazon Web Services (AWS) tech over the next decade, using Amazon's custom AI chips, Trainium. Andy Jassy, Amazon's CEO, is pretty pumped, highlighting this as a big leap in their custom silicon journey. The initial $5 billion investment into Anthropic is based on its latest $380 billion valuation, with another $20 billion tied to hitting certain goals. Meanwhile, Anthropic is hustling to meet the skyrocketing demand for its Claude AI models, even as it juggles partnerships with Microsoft and Google. More here.
Kimi K2.6 levels up coding. Kimi is back with a bang, launching Kimi K2.6—the latest open-source model that’s got the tech world buzzing. This new release is all about pushing boundaries in coding, particularly with long-horizon tasks and agent swarm capabilities. Kimi K2.6 shows off some serious chops, blowing past its predecessor, K2.5, in internal benchmarks and real-world tests. Think faster speeds, smarter reasoning, and less coding drama. It’s like K2.6 drank a coding energy drink, boosting throughput and performance on tasks like optimizing the open-source financial engine, exchange-core. Early testers are loving its reliability and creative prowess, especially for complex, multi-step workflows. From generating sleek front-end interfaces to handling full-stack applications, Kimi K2.6 is setting new standards for open-source models, all while keeping costs down. More here.
GitHub copilot shake-up. Heads up, GitHub users! Big changes are coming to Copilot plans for individuals. To keep things smooth for current subscribers, GitHub is hitting pause on new signups for Pro, Pro+, and Student plans. But don't fret, Copilot Free is still open for fresh faces, and current users can switch plans as needed. On the usage front, Pro+ now offers more than five times the usage limits of the standard Pro plan. If you're on Pro and need more juice, consider upgrading! And in a bit of a bummer, Opus models have bid farewell to Copilot Pro, though Opus 4.7 is sticking around on Pro+. If these tweaks cramp your style, you can cancel your Pro or Pro+ plan without paying for April. Need more deets? The GitHub support team is ready to chat until May 20. More here.
News You Can Use
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Loop scores big with $95M. Supply chain AI startup Loop just bagged a cool $95 million investment, and it’s making waves in the tech world. This hefty cash infusion is set to supercharge their AI-driven platform that streamlines supply chain operations. Loop’s game plan? Use AI to make supply chains smarter and more efficient, cutting down on delays and boosting productivity. The company has caught the eye of investors with its potential to transform the logistics landscape. With supply chain hiccups being a hot topic these days, Loop's timing couldn’t be better. As they gear up to expand and refine their technology, this investment puts them in a prime spot to lead the charge in AI-powered logistics solutions. More here.